1:35 Umývárna

A washroom in an occupied hall

A hall after an air raid, where a unit has taken over an undamaged corner and set up washing facilities in it, is a scene you rarely meet at competitions. And yet little is needed: a piece of wall, a hole in the roof and washbasins with a rack in the corner. Military dioramas mostly show fighting, whereas this one shows the life that fills it, and that is exactly why it draws attention.

Three materials in one package

According to the manufacturer the set holds 18 cast parts, a photo-etched fret and a wooden part. The combination is well thought out: the castings carry the ceramics and the bulky shapes, the photo-etched parts add the thin holders, racks and taps, and the wood brings a texture that cannot be convincingly imitated by either a casting or paint. The result therefore looks good even from close up.

• eighteen castings cover the complete fittings of one corner
• we recommend staining the wooden part before gluing so that it draws the paint into the grain
• the glossy white coat of the ceramics only stands out once the joints have been lightly dirtied
• a mirror can be imitated with a thin film or polished metal
• degrease the metal holders from the photo-etched fret and prime them, or the paint will slide off
• it pays to darken the floor under the washbasin, the damp stays there longest

Credibility here stands or falls with the surroundings. A drop of water under the tap, a towel thrown over a rail and a bar of soap set down turn the model into a setting. And if you add a figure in a shirt, shaving, the scene gains a quiet story of the kind that is hard to build with vehicles.